Oil lubrication

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a construction machine having a main drive and a secondary drive, the secondary drive being functionally connected to an add-on assembly, and having a lubricant oil diversion, which diverts a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an engine having a lubricant oil diversion for an add-on assembly, as well as an add-on assembly which has a lubricant oil diversion for attachment to a lubricant oil supply system of the main drive. Finally, the present invention also relates to a lubricant oil supply system and a method for the oil lubrication of an add-on assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of German Patent Application DE 102006053093.4 filed Nov. 10, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a construction machine having a main drive and a secondary drive, the secondary drive being functionally connected to an add-on assembly via a coupling point, and having a lubricant oil supply for supplying the main drive with lubricant oil. The present invention also relates to an engine having a main drive and a secondary drive, the secondary drive being functionally connected to an add-on assembly via a coupling point. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an add-on assembly and a lubricant oil supply system for the lubricant oil supply of a construction machine having at least one attachment point for an add-on assembly. Finally, the present invention also relates to a method for the oil lubrication of an add-on assembly of a construction machine, the main drive comprising a lubricant oil supply.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Construction machines typically have a main drive, which is a diesel engine, for example. Main drives of this type drive one or more main functions of the construction machine. Such main functions are particularly travel movements. In addition, one or more secondary drive units are frequently provided on construction machines, via which assemblies are driven, such as hydraulic pumps. These assemblies are frequently optionally attached to construction machines or are viewed as an independent functional unit and are referred to as an add-on assembly in the following for this reason. The secondary drive units are typically functionally connected to the main drive and are driven thereby. Multiple types of drive are fundamentally possible. V-belt and gearwheel drives are especially widespread.

The add-on assembly is functionally connected to the secondary drive on the output side of the secondary drive. For this purpose, the add-on assembly is typically coupled to the secondary drive. The functional connection may thus be formed by a coupling point in which an attachment to a driveshaft occurs.

Such add-on assemblies are typically add-on elements having independent functions, such as a hydraulic pump. The add-on assemblies are typically provided once with lubricant by the producer and/or when added onto the secondary drive. Later lubrication is either not provided at all or is performed manually at irregular intervals. Therefore, it has been a problem for some time that in the event of negligent lubrication and/or the consumption of the lubricant quantity provided at the factory, the add-on assembly runs hot, because of which increased wear, breakdown, and/or destruction of the add-on assembly occurs. The service life of such add-on assemblies is therefore correspondingly short. Ensuring sufficient lubricant oil supply is thus problematic during operation of add-on assemblies which are driven via a secondary drive. This applies in particular in the construction machine field because of the high machine loads and difficult operating conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a construction machine, an engine, an add-on assembly, a lubricant oil supply system, and a method for oil lubrication, which ensure reduction of the wear and increased service life of the add-on assembly and simultaneously have a high degree of variability in relation to different add-on assemblies.

This object is achieved by a construction machine, by an engine, by an add-on assembly, by a lubricant oil supply system, and by a method for oil lubrication according to the independent claims. Advantageous refinements are specified in the subclaims.

An essential idea of the present invention is to attach the lubricant oil supply of an add-on assembly to an already existing lubricant oil supply of an engine, for example, via a lubricant oil diversion, the lubricant oil diversion diverting lubricant oil from the lubricant oil supply of the engine and feeding it to the add-on assembly for lubrication purposes. In this way it is thus possible, for example, that a lubricant oil supply of an add-on assembly may be retrofitted comparatively easily and cost-effectively and an independent and therefore also costly lubricant oil supply for the add-on assembly is thus not required. Rather, according to the present invention, the already existing lubricant oil supply of the engine is used for the further lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly. Moreover, the present invention allows a continuous lubricant oil supply of one or more add-on assemblies, so that the danger of undesired hot running because of a lack of lubricant oil may be eliminated by the present invention. This is especially advantageous, because checking sufficient lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly now also occurs simultaneously by the lubricant oil check of the engine which is already performed routinely in any case. Although a lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly is thus made possible by the present invention, no additional maintenance and checking work is necessary.

In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to a construction machine having a lubricant oil diversion, which diverts off a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive, an inflow regulation unit being attached to the lubricant oil diversion, which controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion, and the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity being conducted by the inflow regulation unit to a lubricant oil supply attachment, which is implemented to relay the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity to lubricate the coupling point. This embodiment has the advantage that the lubricant oil diversion allows lubrication of the add-on assembly to be ensured via the already existing lubricant oil supply of the main drive. Correspondingly, an independent lubricant oil supply system for the add-on assembly is not needed. Inter alia, the advantage results from this for the user of the construction machine that enough may be done for sufficient lubricant oil monitoring solely by a check of the already existing lubricant oil supply of the main drive for maintenance purposes. The lubricant oil diversion may be a T-part, for example, which is inserted into a lubricant oil line of the lubricant oil supply of the main drive, or, for example, also an attachment part having a lubricant oil inlet, a lubricant oil outlet, and a regulating valve, via which the lubricant oil diversion optionally allows the passage of lubricant oil or stops the lubricant oil passage with the valve closed. An inflow regulation unit, which controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion, adjoins the lubricant oil diversion. This unit may be an oil throttle valve or functionally-similar metering devices, for example. The inflow regulation unit ensures on one hand that no lubricant oil oversupply of the add-on assembly occurs. On the other hand, the inflow regulation unit ensures that too large a quantity of lubricant oil is not diverted from the lubricant oil supply system of the main drive. The inflow regulation unit thus counteracts excess lubricant oil diversion. The inflow regulation unit is expediently used between the add-on assembly and the lubricant oil diversion for this purpose. The diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is conducted by the inflow regulation unit via commercially available lubricant oil lines to a lubricant oil supply attachment, for example. This lubricant oil supply attachment has corresponding attachment devices such as threads or similar devices for this purpose. The diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is conducted to the coupling point via the lubricant oil supply attachment, so that the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity may be used for lubricating the coupling point. The lubricant oil supply attachment has line channels or functionally comparable means for this purpose, via which a passage of the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity to the coupling point is possible.

In a preferred embodiment, the lubricant oil supply attachment is integrated in a flange situated between the secondary drive and the add-on assembly. A special advantage of this embodiment is that in this way the lubricant oil supply attachment in particular may be integrated in an independent component. Retrofitting a construction machine with the present invention is thus significantly simplified. The integration of the lubricant oil supply attachment is also especially favorable from space aspects in particular, however.

The flange is preferably situated on the add-on assembly side. This allows retrofitting of a construction machine with the present invention by the replacement of the add-on assembly having integrated lubricant oil supply attachment in the flange. Complex changeover work of the main drive may be essentially dispensed with in this way and is primarily concentrated on the attachment of the lubricant oil diversion to the lubricant oil supply system of the construction machine. Situating the flange on the add-on assembly side thus also contributes to reducing the installation costs.

In an especially preferred embodiment, the lubricant oil supply attachment has a feed channel, which opens into a lubricant oil reservoir, the lubricant oil reservoir essentially being formed by the flange. The feed channel is typically a hole through which the diverted lubricant oil is conducted to the lubricating point, such as a coupling point. A lubricant oil reservoir is understood in the meaning of the present invention as a chamber which is implemented to receive a lubricant oil reserve. The transition to the concrete lubrication area of the coupling point may be flowing. A steady lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly is transitionally ensured, even in the case of interrupted diversion of a partial lubricant oil supply from the lubricant oil supply of the main assembly, by the lubricant oil reserve implemented by the flange. The lubricant oil reservoir is thus used to reserve a lubricant oil buffer, by which supply bottlenecks of the add-on assembly with diverted lubricant oil, as may occur in the event of an unintentionally shut down lubricant oil diversion, for example, may be bridged. The integration of the lubricant oil reservoir essentially in components of the flange additionally has the advantage that the required reworking measures are reduced to a minimum. Thus, for example, with a flange on the add-on assembly side, a standard attachment of the construction machine on the secondary drive side may be used, because the modified flange having the lubricant oil reservoir is formed by the add-on assembly.

The lubricant oil reservoir is especially preferably implemented as an annular groove in the flange, the annular groove running around a shaft via which the functional connection occurs between the secondary drive and the add-on assembly. The annular groove has the advantage that a peripheral lubricant oil supply of the shaft is ensured. Such a peripheral lubricant oil distribution is very especially advantageous in combination with bearings, such as ball bearings, etc.

The object is also achieved by an engine having a main drive and a secondary drive, the secondary drive being functionally connected to an add-on assembly and having a lubricant oil supply for supplying the main drive with lubricant oil. Furthermore, a lubricant oil diversion is provided, which diverts a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive for the lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly. Such an engine is preferably used for driving a construction machine. Through the insertion of the lubricant oil diversion in the lubricant oil supply of the main drive, it is thus possible to divert a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive and use it for lubrication purposes of the add-on assembly. In this way, the add-on assembly does not require a separate lubricant oil supply and simultaneously a continuous and permanent lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly is made possible.

In an especially preferred embodiment, the secondary drive is functionally connected to the add-on assembly via a coupling point, and an inflow regulation unit is provided, which is attached to the lubricant oil diversion and controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion. The relaying of the partial lubricant oil quantity from the inflow regulation unit occurs in this especially preferred embodiment via a lubricant oil line to a lubricant oil supply attachment, via which the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is conducted to the coupling point for lubrication. It is ensured in particular by the inflow regulation unit that a controlled quantity of diverted partial lubricant oil is fed to the add-on assembly and/or the coupling point. The oil quantity available to the main drive is additionally prevented from being lowered by an uncontrollable extent in this way.

The coupling point is preferably formed by a stub shaft having internal teeth, in which external teeth engage. Coupling points of this type are distinguished by a comparatively low wear and especially favorable installation properties.

The engine is especially preferably a construction machine engine. Construction machine engines are typically diesel engines. In particular in the field of construction machine engines it is typical to attach one or more add-on assemblies to such an engine. The present invention allows all add-on assemblies to be integrated in the lubricant oil supply of the main drive, by which the service life of all add-on assemblies is lengthened. A connection in series and/or parallel is possible for multiple add-on assemblies. Alternatively, however, multiple lubricant oil diversions may be attached to an engine to supply multiple lubrication points. Reliable and continuous lubrication is of special significance in particular for construction machine engines having corresponding add-on assemblies because of the high strain and the operating conditions, which encourage wear, and the life-extending effects of the present invention may be observed especially well in this field.

The object is also achieved by an add-on assembly having a lubricant oil diversion for attachment to a lubricant oil supply system of a main drive, the lubricant oil diversion diverting a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive and an inflow regulation unit being provided, which is attached to the lubricant oil diversion. The inflow regulation unit controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion. Furthermore, a lubricant oil supply attachment is provided, via which the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is fed to a lubrication area of the add-on assembly. Such an add-on assembly may be attached without complex modification measures to a lubricant oil supply system of a main drive, a continuous lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly being made possible by the lubricant oil diversion. The inflow regulation unit ensures the setting of the lubricant oil diversion ratio and/or ensures that on one hand the diverted lubricant oil quantity is sufficient for adequate lubrication of the lubrication area of the add-on assembly and on the other hand the lubricant oil supply system of the main drive does not lack for lubricant oil.

The lubrication area is preferably a coupling point, via which the add-on assembly is functionally connected to a secondary drive driving the add-on assembly. Coupling points in particular tend to run hot rapidly in the event of a lack of lubricant and particularly of a lubricant oil supply, which typically causes irreparable damage. Continuous and permanent supply of a coupling point thus contributes significantly to lengthening the service life of the add-on assembly. The present invention thus allows the optional integration of the lubrication of the add-on assembly in the lubricant oil supply of the main drive.

The object is also achieved by a lubricant oil supply system which has a lubricant oil diversion which diverts lubricant oil from the lubricant oil supply system. A part of the lubricant oil of the lubricant oil supply system may be used for lubricating the add-on assembly by the lubricant oil diversion. It is possible to dispense with a complex and costly independent lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly and/or to ensure a permanent lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly cost-effectively.

An inflow regulation unit is preferably attached to the lubricant oil diversion of the lubricant oil supply system, which controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion. Furthermore, the lubricant oil supply system has a lubricant oil supply attachment in this preferred embodiment, via which the diverted lubricant oil is fed to the add-on assembly. It is possible through the inflow regulation unit to adapt the extent of the lubricant oil diversion to the lubricant oil demand of the add-on assembly. In addition, the inflow regulation unit ensures that the lubricant oil supply system does not lack for lubricant oil because of an excess of lubricant oil diversion to lubricate the add-on assembly. The attachment part allows a sealed and reliable feed of the diverted lubricant oil to the add-on assembly.

The object of the present invention is also achieved by a method in which a partial oil quantity is diverted from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive and the diverted partial oil quantity is fed to the add-on assembly. It is advantageous in this method that the lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly is coupled to the lubricant oil supply of the main drive by the diversion of a partial oil quantity. By feeding the diverted partial oil quantity to the add-on assembly, oil lubrication of the add-on assembly is made possible, for example, in the area of a bearing or a coupling.

The extent of the diverted partial oil quantity is preferably regulated in the method by an inflow regulation unit, the diverted partial oil quantity is led through a passage, in particular in the area of a flange of the add-on assembly, and the diverted partial or quantity is introduced into a lubrication area of the add-on assembly. Regulating the extent of the diverted partial oil quantity by an inflow regulation unit allows the diverted partial oil quantity to be tailored the lubricant oil demand of the add-on assembly. Guiding the diverted partial oil quantity through a passage in particular in the area of a flange has been proven to be especially practical for introducing the diverted partial oil quantity into the lubrication area of the add-on assembly. The diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is used in the lubrication area for lubricating a bearing, for example.

However, the lubrication of a coupling point preferably occurs in the lubrication area. Coupling points tend especially strongly to lack for lubricant oil and/or to run hot rapidly. Ensuring continuous lubrication thus has an especially positive effect on the service life of a coupling point.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the present invention is explained in greater detail on the basis of two exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures.

FIG. 1: schematically shows a view of a construction machine engines having an add-on assembly in a partially exploded view;

FIG. 2: schematically shows a top view of the front side of the add-on assembly along line I from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3: schematically shows a partial sectional view of the flange area of the add-on assembly along line II from FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4: schematically shows a side view of a lubricant oil diversion partially cut away in the attachment area to the lubricant oil supply.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the embodiment shown in the following, identical components are provided with identical reference numerals. For the sake of clarity, components repeated in the figures are not individually identified in every figure.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the present invention has a construction machine engine 1, a main drive (not shown in greater detail), a secondary drive 2, an add-on assembly 3, a coupling point 4, a lubricant oil diversion 5, an inflow regulation unit 6, fastening means 7, a lubricant oil line 8, a flange 9, a lubricant oil supply attachment 10 having an attachment part 10 a and a flange-side attachment part receptacle 10 b, a stub shaft 11 having internal teeth 12, and a feed channel 13.

According to FIG. 1, the add-on assembly 3, which is a hydraulic pump in the exemplary embodiment, is driven via the secondary drive 2, which has, inter alia, a stub shaft 11 having internal teeth 12 and a ball bearing 16. The secondary drive 2 is functionally connected to external teeth (not visible in FIG. 1) of the secondary assembly 3 via the internal teeth 12. This connection area is identified in the following as the coupling point 4 and thus also relates to the area in which the drive power transmission of the secondary drive 2 to the add-on assembly 3 particularly occurs. The secondary assembly 3 is also attached to the construction machine engine 1 at a suitable attachment point 17, which has a counter flange to the flange 9 of the add-on assembly 3. Further fastening means 7, such as screw connections and angles, are provided to additionally stabilize the position of the add-on assembly 3.

A lubricant oil diversion 5 according to FIG. 4 is provided for diverting lubricant oil from the lubricant oil supply of the construction machine engine 1, which has a pressure valve 18, a lubricant oil outlet 19, and an oil inflow 20. The lubricant oil diversion 5 is attached to the construction machine engine 1 in such a way that the oil inflow 20 is connected to the lubricant oil supply system of the construction machine engine 1. It is possible via the pressure valve 18 to activate the lubricant oil diversion 5 and thus cause diverted lubricant oil to exit from the lubricant oil outlet 19. The lubricant oil diversion may thus be “turned on and off”. This allows adaptation of the lubricant oil diversion 5 to the presence or absence of the add-on assembly 3 and/or the optional availability of a continuous lubricant oil supply for add-on assemblies.

An inflow regulation unit 6, which is concretely an oil throttle in FIG. 1, adjoins the lubricant oil outlet 19 of the lubricant oil diversion 5. The inflow regulation unit 6 has actuating means, which control the extent of the lubricant oil diverting as a function of the engine oil pressure of the lubricant oil supply system of the construction machine engine 1. In this way, it is ensured that the lubricant oil diversion 5 does not divert an excess of lubricant oil from the construction machine engine 1, because of which this engine would run hot and could receive significant damage.

The lubricant oil quantity which is diverted from the lubricant oil supply system of the construction machine engine 1 and has passed through the inflow regulation unit 6 is conducted via the lubricant oil line 8 to the lubricant oil supply attachment 10, which has an attachment part 10 a and a flange-side attachment part receptacle 10 b. The attachment part 10 a and the attachment part receptacle 10 b of the lubricant oil supply attachment 10 may be connected in a formfitting and frictionally locked way to one another via a screw connection. For the sake of clarity, threaded sections of the lubricant oil supply attachment are not shown in greater detail in the figures. The diverted lubricant oil is introduced into the coupling point 4 via the lubricant oil supply attachment 10.

According to FIG. 2, which is a top view along line I from FIG. 1, the lubricant oil supply attachment 10 has a feed channel 13 for this purpose, which connects the lubricant oil supply attachment 10 to the lubricant oil reservoir 14 according to the partial sectional view in FIG. 3 along line II from FIG. 2. The lubricant oil reservoir 14 essentially has the form of an annular groove, which runs around shaft elements of the functional connection between the secondary drive 2 and the add-on assembly 3. In the coupling area 4, the external teeth 15 according to FIG. 3 are engaged with the internal teeth 12 of the stub shaft 11 of the secondary drive 2 in the installed state of the secondary assembly 3. This area is lubricated via lubricant oil which is fed to the lubricant oil reservoir 14 via the feed channel 13. 

1. A construction machine having a main drive and a secondary drive, the secondary drive being functionally connected to an add-on assembly via a coupling point, and having a lubricant oil supply for supplying a main drive with lubricant oil, wherein a lubricant oil diversion is provided, which diverts a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive, an inflow regulation unit is attached to the lubricant oil diversion, which controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion, the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is conducted by the inflow regulation unit to a lubricant oil supply attachment, and the lubricant oil supply attachment is implemented to relay the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity to lubricate the coupling point.
 2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant oil supply attachment is integrated in a flange situated between the secondary drive and the add-on assembly.
 3. The construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the flange is situated on the add-on assembly side.
 4. The construction machine according to one of claim 2, wherein the lubricant oil supply attachment has a feed channel, which opens into a lubricant oil reservoir, the lubricant oil reservoir essentially being formed by the flange.
 5. The construction machine according to claim 4, wherein the lubricant oil reservoir is implemented as an annular groove in the flange, the annular groove running around a shaft, via which the secondary drive is functionally connected to the add-on assembly.
 6. An engine having a main drive and a secondary drive, the secondary drive being functionally connected to an add-on assembly, having a lubricant oil supply for supplying the main drive with lubricant, and having a lubricant oil diversion, which diverts a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive for the lubricant oil supply of the add-on assembly.
 7. The engine according to claim 6, wherein the secondary drive is functionally connected to the add-on assembly via a coupling point, an inflow regulation unit is provided, which is attached to the lubricant oil diversion and controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion, and the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is conducted by the inflow regulation unit via a lubricant oil line to a lubricant oil supply attachment, via which the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is conducted to the coupling point for lubrication.
 8. The engine according to claim 7, wherein the coupling point is formed by a stub shaft having internal teeth, in which external teeth on the add-on assembly side engage.
 9. The engine according to claim 6, wherein the engine is a construction machine engine.
 10. An add-on assembly having a lubricant oil diversion for attachment to a lubricant oil supply system of a main drive, the lubricant oil diversion diverting a partial lubricant oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the main drive, having an inflow regulation unit, which is attached to the lubricant oil diversion and controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion, and having a lubricant oil supply attachment, via which the diverted partial lubricant oil quantity is fed to a lubrication area of the add-on assembly.
 11. The add-on assembly according to claim 10, wherein the lubrication area is a coupling point, via which the add-on assembly is functionally connected to a secondary drive, which drives the add-on assembly.
 12. A lubricant oil supply system for the lubricant oil supply of a construction machine having at least one attachment point for an add-on assembly, wherein the lubricant oil supply system has a lubricant oil diversion which diverts lubricant oil from the lubricant oil supply system.
 13. The lubricant oil supply system according to claim 12, wherein an inflow regulation unit is attached to the lubricant oil diversion, which controls the extent of the lubricant oil diversion, and a lubricant oil supply attachment is provided, via which the diverted lubricant oil is fed to the add-on assembly.
 14. A method for oil lubrication of an add-on assembly of a construction machine having an engine having a lubricant oil supply and a main drive, characterized by the diversion of a partial oil quantity from the lubricant oil supply of the engine and the feeding of the diverted partial oil quantity to the add-on assembly.
 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the extent of the diverted partial oil quantity is regulated by an inflow regulation unit, the diverted partial oil quantity is fed via a lubricant oil supply attachment, in particular in the area of a flange, to the add-on assembly, and the diverted partial oil quantity is introduced into a lubrication area of the add-on assembly via a feed channel lying in the flange.
 16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the lubrication of a coupling point occurs in the lubrication area. 